Lower down your gaze

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السلام عليكم و رحمة الله تعالى و بركاته

It goes without saying that every Muslim should spare no pains in lowering his/her gaze and preserving his/her modesty. This should occur in compliance with the Divine command given in Surah An-Nur: “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! Allah is Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest.” (An-Nur: 30-31)i
In a hadith, the Prophet (saww) is reported as having said: “And the eyes commit zina (adultery). Their zina is gazing.”
He (saww) commanded Ali (as) said: “Ali! Do not look once after another, for the first look is for you (since it happens accidentally) while the second is against you.”i

Lowering the gaze and its health benefits:

Eyes are the precious pearls that no price can afford. Allah has called them “The beloved things”, or “the dear things”, as came in the Hadith narrated by Al Bukhari, Al Tirmizi, and Ibn Habaan, that the prophet sala Allah alyh w salam said:”Allah said, ‘If I deprive my servant of his two beloved things (i.e., his eyes) and he remains patient, I will vouchsafe him the Paradise in compensation for them.’”i

The question is: Does lowering the gaze have any benefits to the human health? Scientific research and studies proved that repeated desirous looking at the opposite sex, and the ensuing need to fulfill the suppressed and unfulfilled desires, lead to many problems as serious as productive system diseases, such as the cognition of prostate, the sexual inability, or total infertility.

The best remedy for the desirous looking at the opposite sex is to remember that Allah is always there seeing us all the time, and is watching over our deeds.Remind yourself that Allah sees you but you can’t see Him, so where on earth could you be able to commit a sin without being caught? Where would such a place be?. Also remind yourself of Allah’s (thawab) forgiveness and reward for those who lower their gaze in fear and obedience of Him, as the prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said, as narrated by Ahmad and Al Tabarani, "Whoever( Muslim) looks at the beauties of a woman, then lowers his gaze, Allah will reward him with an act of worship that he feels its sweetness in his heart.

Let us contemplate the above humble advices and constantly make the supplication, “O Allah help us control our sensual desires until we get married, and even after we marry, let our desires be only towards our spouses.” Aameen.

Taken from Pure Matrimony from the article written by Sabeel Ahmad and Dr. Muhammad El Saqqa Eid.